Welt turning attachment



March 12, 1946.

A. HOFMANN ET AL- WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT 8 Sheets-sheaf. 1

Filed Jan. 29, 1941 March 12, 1946, HQFMANN ETAL' 2,396,263 Q D WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 29, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 QQN gw NQW @N March 12, 1946. A. HOFMANN ET AL WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 29, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 5 z n? Mww r Marh 12, 1946- A. HOFMANN ET AL 2,

WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 29, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 4 "I: m 1 Z J 1/3. {25 16; ;M 162 w 2 'A. HOFMANN ETAL WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT March 12,, 1946.

Filed Jan. 29, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 zaz\ March 12, 19461 A. HOFMANN ETAL- WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 29, 1941 .8 Sheets-Sheet 6' I QRNN awedJfgj'marm Ronald G Tz nerar Wdrgclzflaw W 6 4 Ink/anions at V W Mamm March12 ,1 946. A, HOFMANN ETAL V 2,396,263

WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 29, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 jmerzzors Alfred Hofinann janalcl G. fimmerd" March 12, 1946. A HOFMANN AL 2,396,263-

WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT File; Jan. 29, 1941 a Sheets-Sheet 8 Jljorngj I Patented Mar. 12, 1946 WELT TURNING ATTACHMENT Alfred Hofmann, Palisade, Donald G. Trutner,

North Arlington, and Friedrich Max Wachtler, West New York, N. J., assignors to Alfred Hofmann, Inc., West New York, N. J.

Application January 29, 1941, Serial No. 376,4?4

29 Claims.

The present invention relates to an attachment for fiat knitting machines and, more particularly, to a welt bar operating attachment operable to controllably impart horizontal, vertical, tilting, and slanting movements to the welt bar for automatic or semi-automatic welt turning.

In the knitting of welt fabric on full-fashioned hosiery machines adapted for the use of certain types of recently developed automatic welt turning mechanisms, various devices have been constructed to provide the necessary movements for the welt bar. Such devices, however, have been found expensive to manufacture, insufliciently reliable in operation, or lacking various desirable functions and features for continued satisfactory performance in connection with automatic or semi-automatic turning of welts throughout the multiple knitting sections of the knitting machine.

It is, therefore, the general object of the present invention to provide an improved welt bar operating attachment of simplified construction involving reduced expense in manufacturing and adapted to receive accurate and reliable adjustmerits, and furnishing improved operating mechanisms to impart the desired welt bar movements.

Specific objects of this invention reside in the provision of a link mechanism for the welt bar carrying elements, which mechanism is adapted for resiliently tensioning the fabric during the draw-off in one direction, that is, in the direction away from the knitting elements; in the provision of a mechanism capable also of automatic or semi-automatic operation for positively moving the welt bar in the other direction, that is, in the direction towards the knitting elements for placing said welt bar into position preparatory to engaging the initial loops as well as for accurate positioning of the welt bar preparatory to the loop transfer back onto the needles during the formation of the welt; and the provision of a mechanism operable to bring the welt *hooks into cooperative engagement With the needles and thereafter to retract said welt bar to its inoperative position away from the knitting elements.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment to impart the necessary movements to the welt bar carrying elements and turning devices in a rectilinear horizontal plane, as well as in a rectilinear slanting plane, and to guide the welt bar in a curvilinear motion according to the respective method of automatic or semi-automatic welt turning.

Without limiting the possible application of this invention or modifications thereof to other methads of welt turning, the description herein is based on the motion and operation requirements of the welt bar according to the disclosure of the copending application, Serial Number 304,492, filed November 15, 1939, the present invention presenting modified and improved operating means and mechanisms.

With this purpose in mind, the present invention contemplates an improved construction of guide rails for the movements of the Welt bar, in combination with link mechanisms, said guide rails being suited for mounting on an auxiliary shaft extending across the length of the machine along the front table thereof, and the construction of the rails and the mountings therefor being so arranged that by slight rotation of the shaft actuated by cam means, the rail ends extending to- Wards the needles may be caused to be slanted up and down.

With these and other objects in view, as may hereinafter become apparent, the several features of the invention consist in the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed which, together with the advantages to be obtained thereby, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the following description and accompanying drawmgs.

For the purpose of illustration, there has been shown only so much of an ordinary fiat full-fashioned knitting machine as is necessary to understand the embodiment and operation of the present invention for the relative motions and timed relation of movements of the welt bar and the knitting elements.

" In these drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of portions of a flat knitting machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Figure l with parts broken out and taken away for the sake of clarity in the illustration;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1 with certain parts removed;

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of certain parts illustrated in Figure 3 looking in the general direction of line 4-4, with certain parts removed;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of parts illustrated in Figure 3, but illustrating said parts in another position;

Figure 6 is a section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure 1, with certain parts taken away for the sake of clarity in the showing;

Figure '7 is a cross sectional detail taken substantially on line 1-1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional detail taken substantially on line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail of a part of one of the welt bar carrying assemblies;

Figure 10 is a section taken on line Ill-l of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a section taken on line H--H of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a perspective of the welt bar and portions of the supporting assemblies;

Figure 13 is an end elevation of a guiding rail and its supporting block;

Figure 14 is a section taken on line 14-44 of Figure 13;

Figure If; is a section taken on line 'l5l5 of Figure 14.;

Figure 16 is a section taken on line 16-56 of Figure 14;

Figure 17 is an enlarged cross sectional detail of a portion of parts shown in Figure 9;

Figure 18 is a perspective of one of the arms adapted to establish the connection between-the welt bar carrying assemblies and the motion'imparting means;

Figure 19 is an enlarged detail of :a part of the side-stepping mechanism;

Figures 20 to 30 inclusive are somewhat diagrammatic illustrations of the vsequence'of move- .ments of the welt bar in the automatic operation thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the machine frame is designated at H] .and carries the usual bearings .for supporting the various shafts of the knitting machine including the rotatable longitudinally shiftable main cam shaft 12, the oscillating presser shaft [4, the oscillating needle bar shaft l5, the oscillating back narrowing shaft 15, the oscillating narrowing mechanism lifting shaft 18, .and the rotatable wareroller shaft .20. The machine .frame is also provided with the usual center beam 22, back beam .24, front beam 26, and front table 28.

Arranged about the centerbeam 22 in the customary manner are the multiple knitting sections 30. Each knitting section 30 comprisesa straight needle bar 32 with its bank of needles 3!! disposed to cooperate with the presser edge 36, .jack and dividing sinkers 38, and .knockover bits 4.0 for the knitting of fabric in the mannerknownin the art. Yarn is fed to the 'knitting section 38' by means of yarn carriers 42 connected to carrier bars 44 supported in brackets 46 on the machine frame 10.

As is customary, the needle bar 32 is movable horizontally and vertically. Horizontal movement is imparted to the needle bar 'by means of a link and lever mechanism 48 including a roller 50 disposed for-riding engagement "with a presser knitting cam 52 or a presser narrowing cam 54 on the main cam shaft l2 depending 'upon the shifted position of said shaft. Vertical movement is imparted to the needle bar by means of a link and lever mechanism 56 including a roller 58 disposed for engagement with .a knitting cam '60 'or a narrowing roam v52 on the main cam shaft 82, depending upon theshifted positionaof said shaft.

Adapted for cooperation with the knitting sections of the machine is a narrowing mechanism 64 comprising sets of narrowing combs 66 ,fixed ,to the narrowing bars 58 slidabl y mounted in brackets .10 secured on .a rod 12 suspended from arms 14 rigidly connected to the back narrowing shaft l6 on the machine frame. The narrowing mechanism is adapted to be lowered and raised bodily in order to pick up and transfer loops, the lowering and raising of the narrowing mechanism being accomplished by means of an active cam 76 on the main cam shaft 12 acting, when said shaft is shifted to its narrowing position, on a roller 18 carried by a lever 80 pivoted onto the machine frame and connected through a link 82 to the rod 12. When the main cam shaft I2 is shifted to its knitting position, a neutral cam 84 is brought into engagement with the roller 18 so that the narrowing mechanism becomes inoperative. Whenever the narrowing mechanism is not in operation, it may be locked in inoperative elevated position by depressing a pedal 86 which oscillates the lifting shaft I 8, thereby swinging an arm 88 for engagement with the cam roller lever BiL'thereby maintaining the entire narrowing mechanism in its elevated inoperative position.

The shiftingof the main camshaft 12 is governed in the usual manner by a shogging mechanism .98 which, in turn, is controlled in the usual manner through the operation of a pattern chain 92.

Each knitting section 30 of the machine is adapted to cooperate with a welt bar .94 for the purpose of forming welt fabrics on said machine. The welt bar has the usual wellknown construction including the clamping sections 94a and 94b cooperating to secure abank of welthooks 96. The welt hooks 96 preferably are of the type shown and described in detail in co-pending application, Serial Number 304,492, filed November 15, 1939, for the purpose stated therein, that is, the welt hooks 96, which also serve as welt transfer elements, are adapted for cooperative action with the knitting needles 34 and sinkers 38 to receive the loops of the initial course knitted by said needles and subsequently return said loops onto thevneedles in the formation of the welt.

Each welt hook 96 preferably has the construction shown, consisting of a shank 96a, a hook end 961), and a butt .end 550, a portion of the shank and the butt end adapted to be clamped between the sections 94a and 94b of the welt bar 94. The portion of the shank 96a projecting outwardly of the clamping bar sections Sta and 94b is bent and kinked to form an intermediate angular portion 96d, that part of the shank from a point adjacent the hook end 95b to a point adjacent the angular portion 96d being grooved for cooperation with the needle beards, as will be specified hereinafter.

The essential purposes of providing the welt hook with the intermediate angular portion 96d are to form a stop for the retraction of the initial sinker loops of the welt fabric .in order to enable 'said initial sinker loops to line up for even and accurate transfer to the needles after the knitting of the desired length of welt fabric and inorder to provide for a free passage of the needle'beards through the groove of the shank for facilitating thepicking up of the initial sinker loops by the needles; andto form a downward angular displacement of the grooved 'part of the shank as against the remaining part of the shank so that the hook-is vertically downwardly displaced from the horizontal upper shank in order to enable gradual retraction of the initial sinker loops towards the loop stop in an'upward slanting plane, during the returning motion of the welt bar for transferring said initial sinker loops onto the needles, or while the welt fabric is drawn off by the welt roll under the welt bar, and also to place the welt hooks into position for the return of said sinker loops to the needles by a displaced turning motion of the welt bar, whereby to limit its travel towards the sinker head, and finally, to prevent excessive stretching or dragging of initial sinker loop-s while retracting on the grooved portion of the shank.

In order that the welt hooks 56 may receive sinker loops of the initial course knitted by the needles 34, and subsequently return said loops to the needles, the welt bar 94, according to the present invention, is capable of going through a sequence of movements. In describing the movements of the welt bar, the terms forward and backward are used with respect to the welt bar itself, the welt hooks being regarded as located at the welt bar front which normally is disposed to face the needles from the front of the machine frame. Therefore, the term forward indicates the movement of the welt bar in a general direction from the front to the back of the machine, whereas the term backward indicates the movement of the welt bar in a general direction from the back towards the front of the machine frame. When referring to the placement .of the welt hooks behind the needles, the term behind is used with respect to the forward movement of the welt bar, which forward movement is employed for the presentation of the welt hooks to the needles. Therefore, the term behind indicates the location of the welt hooks on the bearded side of the needles between the latter and the presser edge.

The sequence of the welt bar movements is 11- lustrated in Figures to 30 inclusive. As shown in Figure 20. the welt bar first undergoes a rectilinear horizontal forward movement to advance the welt hooks towards the needles for bringing said hooks from an inactive to an active position, the welt bar being located for so positioning the welt hooks in relation to the needles that during the continued rectilinear forward movement of the welt bar, the hook ends of said welt hooks will pass between the needles in line with the sinkers at a point between the sinkers and the knockover bits to engage the initial sinker loops when they are cast off the sinker nibs.

As shown in Figure 21, the welt bar then undergoes a rectilinear horizontal backward movement to retract the welt hooks away from the needles after engaging the sinker loops and, accordingly, draw the welt fabric under tension while being knitted.

As shown in Figure 22. the welt her then undergoes a rectilinear slanting upward movement towards the needles to turn the welt fabric and bring the hook ends of the welt hooks on a plane above the heads of the needles, the Welt bar being located for so positioning the welt hooks in relation to the needles that during this movement of the welt bar, the hook ends of the welt hooks are in alignment with the needles.

As shown in Figure 23, the welt bar then undergoes a curvilinear substantially forward movement towards the needles to cause the vaulting of the welt hooks over the needles and continuing in a curvilinear substantially downward movement to place said welt hooks behind the needles, that is, on the bearded side thereof, where said I hooks are held stationary until the needles go into position preparatory to the transfer of the initial sinker loops back onto the needles.

As shown in Figure 24, the welt bar then undergoes a rectilinear substantially downward movement to bring the initial sinker loops adjacent to the needle heads at a point between the knockover bits and the sinkers to place said loops in position for engagement by the needles, after which the needles rise and enter said initial loops (Figure 25).

As shown in Figure 26, the welt bar then undergoes a substantially rectilinear backward movement whereby the welt hooks follow the movement of the needles for placing the same in position preparatory to the unhooking movements.

As shown in Figure 27, the welt bar then undergoes a substantially rectilinear vertical upward movement cooperating with the needle mo-- tion, eventually bringing the loops under tension between the sinkers and the hook ends of the welt hooks.

As shown in Figure 28, the welt bar then undergoes a thrust forward movement bringing the hook ends of the Welt hooks into a substantially horizontal position preparatory to unhooking.

As shown in Figure 29, the welt bar then undergoes a slightly vertical downward movement causing the bent points at the hook ends of the welt hooks to slip past the beards of the needles, thus relieving the tension of the initial sinker loops for the instantaneous disengagement of the hooks from said loops.

The movements separately illustrated in Figures 28 and 29 are more or less simultaneous so that the positioning of the hook ends into a substantially horizontal plane, the relieving of the tension on the transferred loops, and the unhooking of the welt hooks from said loops follow in rapid succession in the manner represented in Figure 30.

As represented in Figure 30, the welt bar then undergoes a combined lifting and swinging movement to move the welt hooks out of the knitting field, the welt bar thence being guided in a cur-,

vilinear tilting backward movement away from the needles to place the welt hooks in their lowered normal draw-off position in a substantially horizontal plane and, finally, in a rectilinear horizontal backward movement away from the needles to return the welt hooks to their original inactive position.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that, in accordance with the improved method, the movements of the welt bar may be divided into three distinct groups, as follows:

1. Movements to effect the bringing of the welt bar from an inactive to an active position for the hooking up of the welt hooks with the initial sinker loops, and for the drawing of the welt fabric under tension while being knitted (Figures 20 and 21).

2. Movements to effect the turning of the welt fabric and the transferring of the initial sinker loops back onto the needles (Figures 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26).

3. Movements to efiect the unhooking or releasing of the welt hooks from the initial sinker loops after their transfer onto the needles and the returning of the welt bar to inactive position (Figures 27, 28, 29, and 30).

Attention is particularly called to the fact that the movement of the welt bar for the positioning of the hook ends on a substantially horizontal plane is possible because of the particular formation of the welt hooks, that is to say, the angu lar relationship of the bent portions of the shanks -are such that the sinkerhead and other parts of the machine will not prevent or interfere with the movement of the welt bar to its tilting limit for positioning the hook ends on a substantially horizontal plane, as aforesaid.

Also, it is to b noted that the pivot point about which the welt bar swings in its movements to relieve the tension on the loops transferred onto the needles and unhook the welt hooks from said loops is located, as shown at X in Figure 3D, in front of the left bar proper and below the center thereof, thus enabling the welt bar to vault over the needles gradually in a curvilinear motion with a minimum lift of the welt bar and, at the same time, reducing the forward travel of the welt hooks to a minimum to prevent possible interference with existing parts on the knitting .machine.

The welt bar 94 in each knitting section 36 is intended, in order to form the welt, to be controlled. for displacement through the sequence of movements aforesaid, the present invention, as

I. Welt bar advancing and retracting mechanism Welt bar lifting and lowering mechanism Welt bar side-stepping mechanism Tension release mechanism Control mechanism Safety mechanism II. III. IV.

V. VI.

WELT BAR CARRYING AND Movnrvrnnr Somme ASSEMBLIES In addition to the usual machine shafts, there is provided, according to this invention, an auxiliary shaft Iflfl and an auxiliary shaft I82. Said auxiliary shafts I83 and I82 extend longitudinally of the machine and are rotatably mounted for rocking motion in bearings, such as hearing I05 spaced alon and fixed to the front table 23.

Rigidly fixed to the auxiliary shaft use are arms I06 preferably spaced so that one arm is located between each pair of knitting sections and at the outside end of each of the end knitting sections. Adapted for pivotal connection to the arms IIJ'e are link devices I08.

Each of the link devices I98 preferably comprises an elongated tubular section I I9 having one end screw-threaded, as shown at I I2, for adjustably receiving a forked shaped member I M constructed for slidable engagement with a somewhat reduced portion or stem I I6 of a connection element He, thus guiding said element into the tubular section III The forked shaped member H may be locked in adjustable position relatively to the tubular section lit by means'of a locking collar I29. It will be appreciated that the reduced portion H6 provides the connection element II 8 with shoulders I22 which may contact the adjacent surface I24 of the forked shaped member I I I and, therefore, limit the introduction of said elementinto the-tubular section.

The connection element I II] is preferably formed with a key-hole shaped slot I26 adapted for engagement with a stud headed'pin I28 carried by the associated arm I66 whereby a detachable pivotal connection may be had between said arm I66 and associated link device I 98. Freely received within the other end of the tubular section III) and arranged in telescoping relationship therewith is a connection piece or connector I33 terminating with an enlarged arcuate finger I32 pivoted, for instance, by means of .a riveted pin I34 to a welt bar carrying element I36. The welt bar carrying elements I36, as shown in the drawings, preferably consist of plates, each having on one of its faces a lateral extension I38 with which the corresponding end of the-welt bar is rigidly attached. Each plate, moreover, has on the other face thereof a skid block MI] and a roller or pin This skid block is preferably formed with flattened angular surfaces Him and I421) and a rounded surface I420 for the purpose to be hereinafter specified.

The connection piece ISO is normally urged inwardly of the tubular section III] by means of a coil spring I i I having one of its ends connected to said connection piece I30, as shown at I46, and the other of its ends connected to the portion I It of the connection element H8, as shown at I 58. The inward movement of said connection piece I36, however, is limited by means of shoulders I59 formed thereon and adapted to abut the adja cent edge I52 of the tubular section HQ.

The provision of the spring I-A, it will be appreciated, moreover furnishes a yieldable connection between the connection element H8 and the connection piece I30 which affords to the device a resilient and flexible union advantageous in effecting the formation of the welt, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

It will be noted that the spring I44 also acts to exert a constant pull on the connection element I I8, thus normally urging the key-hole shaped slot I 26 into positive engagement with its stud headed pin I23, accordingly establishing the proper secured connection between the device and its associate operating arm I65, but that said connection element I I8 may be moved in a direction opposite to that of the pull exerted thereon by the spring I64 to bring the key-hole shaped slot I26 in position for disengagement from said pin I28 on the associated arm 1%. In this manner, it will be understood that each welt bar carrying assembly consisting of the link devices I03, carrying elements I36, and welt bar 94 of any individual knitting section 39 may be removed easily and readily as a unit from its position on the knitting machine frame without affecting the attachment as to the other knitting sections, whenever such removal is necessary for any purpose such as the adjustment, repair, or replacement of parts.

From the foregoing description of the welt bar carrying assemblies, it Will be understood that by turning the shaft H20 in the direction of arrow A or B, the link devices I38 and welt bars 9 throughout the entire length of the knitting machine will be moved in unison towards or away from the needles 34, that is,'in the general direction of arrow C or D.

The link devices I68 and the welt bars 9 3 are guided in their movements towards and away from the needles 34 by means of rails Iii i havin tracks I56 on which ride the rollers or pins 5 2 and skid blocks MD of the welt bar carrying elements I36. The track I55 of each of the rails I53 terminates with a blind end portion IE8 rovided with'a shoulder IESa and a semi-circular surface I58b for the purpose to be specified hereinafter.

It will be appreciated that in order to effect the turning of the welts, it is also necessary that the welt bars, during their movements towards the needles 34, be lifted and tilted to the position more clearly shown in full lines in Figure 9 which brings the welt hooks 96 in position for longitudinal engagement with the needles 34 for the transfer of the initial course of loops from said welt hooks onto said needles. For that purpose, each of the rails I54 is carried by a block I66 rigidly secured to the auxiliary shaft I62 so that when said shaft is rocked, as indicated by the arrows E and F, the rails are swung, as indicated by the arrows G and H.

When the rails I54 are swung in the direction of arrow G to the position shown in full lines in Figure 9, and the link devices I68 and welt bars 94 are moved in the direction of arrow C, that is, towards the needles 34,it will be understood that said rails guide said link devices and welt bars in a rectilinear upwardly slanting plane until the skid blocks I46 of the welt bar carrying elements I36 reach the blind end portions I58 of the rail tracks I56 said portions I58 then acting as stops preventing further rectilinear forward motion of the welt bars 94. At that point, the continued advance of the link devices I68, because of the force applied at the pivotal connections I34 located above the rail tracks I56, causes the welt bar carrying elements I36 to pivot, accordingly tilting the welt bars 94 in a curvilinear motion over and behind the needles 64 for the engagement of the welt hooks 96 with the bearded side of said needles 34.

Since the proper engagement of the welt hooks 96 with the needles 34 depends upon the accurate positioning of the blind end portions I58 of the tracks I56 in relation to the needles, the invention contemplates the provision of a highly micrometric adjustable connection between the rails I 54 and the supporting blocks I66.

As illustrated in the drawings, such a connection may be had by providing each of the blocks I66 with a transversal recessed portion I62 into which the end portion I64 of the associated rail I54 is fitted loosely for endwise, edgewise, and sidewise adjustments. The end portion I64 of the rail I54 received in the transversal recessed portion I62 of the corresponding supporting block I66 is connected to said block by means of a bolt i66 disposed to project through an elongated aperture I68 formed in the wall of said recessed portion to extend longitudinally thereof.

Arranged in said wall to penetrate into the elongated aperture I68 from the diametrically opposed ends thereof are screw-threaded elements I I6 and H2 adapted to bear on opposite sides of said bolt I66 whereby, upon relatively screwing or unscrewing the elements I16 and I12, the rail is slid endwise so that the blind end portion I58 of said track I56 is adjusted to a point nearer to, or further away from the needles 34.

Arranged on each of the blocks I66 to bear upon one edge of the rail end portion I64 is an adjusting element I I4 which may be in the form of a spring while also arranged on said block to bear against the opposed edge of said rail is a screw-threaded member I16 whereby, upon screwing or unscrewing said member, the rail I 54 is rocked edgewise so that the blind end portion I56 lower point in relation to the needles 3 Likewise arranged in said block to bear upon one side of the rail end portion I64 is a plug I18 associated with a screw-threaded pin I86 whereby, upon screwing or unscrewing said pin, the plug I I8 displaces the rail sidewise so that the blind end portion I58 of the rail track I56 is adjusted to a point to the right or to the left in relation to the needles 34. To permit this sidewise adjustment, the bolt I66 connecting the rail end portion I64 to the block I66 may be associated with a spring washer I82.

Due to this particular mode of connection between the rails I54 and their supporting blocks I66, it will be appreciated that there is provided universal adjusting means whereby the proper and accurate positioning of the welt hooks 96 relative to the needles 34 is assured.

Attention is called to the fact that because of the construction and association of elements, there is provided such a flexibility of adjustments that not only can the particular welt turning elements in each knitting section be adjusted relatively to each other to assure the proper function of the welt bar in the associated knitting section, but said elements in one knitting section may be adjusted relatively to such elements in the other knitting section to assure the proper function of the welt bars in their respective knitting sections. Consequently, a characteristic advantage of the invention is found in the fact that, although the welt turning elements comprised within each of the multiple knitting sections of the machine are moved simultaneously and in unison throughout the length of the machine by the function of operable means, such as shafts I66 and I62, common to said elements, yet such elements may be adjusted individually to suit the particular knitting section within which they are intended to function for properly actuating the welt bar and accurately positioning the welt hooks.

Moreover, in order to assure the accurate positioning of the welt hooks 96 in relation to the needles 34, to effect the formation of the welt, the welt bar 94 must be shifted so as to bring said welt hooks in alignment with the needles since said hooks must be positioned to pass between the needles for the hooking of loops in the initial courses.

For that purpose, and in accordance with the preferred construction shown in the drawings, the shaft I62 is split into two sections, one section extending throughout one half of the length of the machine, and the other section extending throughout the remaining half of the length of the machine. The aligned end portions I64 and I of said sections are relatively spaced and provided with adjustable bushings I86 which may be locked in adjusted position by means of locking rings I88.

Suitably secured to the front table 28 of the machine frame I6, and disposed to extend between the spaced end portions I84 and I85-of the sectional shaft I62 is a bracket I96 carrying an oscillating lever I92 having a pair of diametrically opposed rollers I94 and I95 respectfully bearing upon the adjoining faces of the bushings I86. The end portions I84 and I85 of the shaft sections may normally be urged towards each other for constant engagement with the rollers I94 and I95 by means of springs I 96 acting on a collar I91 suitably arranged on said sections which may be provided with stop collars I98 adapted to move toward each other by abutting the adjacent shaft bearings I64 of the shaft sections.

Because of this construction, it will be" understood thatby oscillatingith'e lever 32 inthe' direc-' tion of arrow I, the rollers i294 and I95 are caused to bear against the bushings Hi6 carried by the spaced aligned end portions I84 and I85 of the. sections of the shaft: Hi2, thus forcing said sections againstthe action of the spring, 196 and, accordingly, spreading the sections away from each other. This spreading displaces the Welt bar track rails I54 sidewise carrying thewelt' bar 94 therewith so that the welt hooks 96 become adjusted with respect to their associated needles 34' since said tracksv are connected to the shaft sections by means of the blocks I60;

According to the present invention, the: welt bar carrying and movement guiding assembliesare controlled automatically during the function. of the knitting machine by means of the. several mechanisms hereinafter described, which are cooperatively associated with said assemblies and intimately col-elated to the knitting machine. These mechanisms will now be described.

I.Welt bar advancing and retracting mechanism For the purpose of automatically rotating the shaft 100 to impart motion to the link devices llls and welt bars 94, there is aflixed to the shaft i011 a.=1ever 22E) having pivoted thereto; as shown at 202,. a. link 204 which, in turn, is pivoted, as at 206, to an arm 298 mounted for vertical oscillating movement on a shaft 2H] supported on the machine frame H].

The arm 203 is formed with a laterally extending abutment 2|2 disposed for engagement with an adjustable pin 214 screw-threaded in a pro-' jection 2|6 rigid with an arm 2|3 also mounted for vertical oscillating movement on the shaft 2 l D. The arm 2H3 carries a roller 220 disposed to contact either an, active cam 222 or a neutral cam 224 n the main cam shaft l2, depending upon the. relative shifted positions of said roller and said maincam shaft, as will bev hereinafter pointed out. In order to shift'the roller 220, there is provided a forked lever 226 pivotally attached, as at 228, to the arm 2H3 and connected to a shifting rod 238-.

Constant riding engagement of the roller 22%) with the active cam 222 or the neutral cam 224' may be. assured by means of. a spring 232, or like force applying means, connected to the arm 208 and to a bracket. 234 suitably mounted on the back beam 24, the action of the spring 232 being, however, limited by means of an adjustable stop 236 carried by a suitable support 238 on the back beam 24 and disposed to abut a portion of the under side of the arm 268. Thus it willbe understood that as long as the roller 220 contacts the neutral cam 224, the link devices H18 and, accordingly, the welt bars 94, are maintained in retracted position, that is, in the positionmo-re clearly shown in Figures 3- and 5 but that when the roller. contacts the active cam 222, a swinging motion is imparted to the arms H8 and 228 which motion oscillates the shaft Hill through the connecting link- 204 and lever 200. The oscillation f the. shaft [00,, of course, rocks the arms Hi6 in. the direction of arrows A and B, consequently advancing and retracting the link devices [28 together with the welt bars 94 towards and away from the. needles 34-, that is, in the direction of arrows C and D.

When. the link devices 1.68 and welt. bars 9-8 are advanced. towards the needles 3 inthe manner to be described fully hereinafter, to effect. the

turning of the weltfabric, it may be foundfdesirable to subject the corelated parts to an in.- creased load in order to minimize the amount of free play between said parts and thus assure the proper and accurate relationship thereof; This feature may be accomplished by: providing the additional spring means shown in Figure 6. Such means may be had by pivoting as at 223 to the arm 298 a suitable connection element 225 from which depends an adjustable rod 221'. The. free end of the rod 221 is provided with a coil spring 229 freely retained thereon by means of locking nuts 21%|, or like holding elements.

Associated with the spring 229- is a slidable cap 233 disposed to be engaged by a fork-like member 235 secured to the narrowing machine lifting shaft l8 when said. shaft is rotated by the depressible pedal 82 to lock the narrowing machine in its elevated inoperative position, which is done according to the present invention at a time prior to the operation of the welt turner so as to prevent any possibility of the narrowing mechanism interfering with the function of the welt turner.

From the foregoing description of the additional spring means, it will be understood that when the fork-like member 235 engages the cap 233, the arm 2B8, upon being lifted by action of the active cam 222, will compress the spring 229, subjecting said arm 268 and associated parts to an increased load.

In order to guide the rod 22'! and. assure its position for engagement. by the member 235, there may be provided a bar 23'! straddling the rod 22! and having a spring actuated finger 239 yieldably retaining said rod in a certain relationship with respect to said member.

II.--Welt bar lifting and lowering mechanism For the purpose of rocking the sectional shaft Hi2 to impart motion to the track rails i5 1, and in order that said shaft I62 may be rock-ed in timed relation with the actuation of the welt bar advancing and retracting mechanism, there is provided for each section of said shaft a lever 240' affixed thereto and having a pivotal connection, as shown at 2'42, with a link 244 which; in turn, is pivoted as at 248' to an arm 248 mounted for vertical swingable movement on a shaft 2% supported on the machine frame it. The arm 228 carries a shiftable roller 252 disposed to contact an active cam 254' or a neutral cam 256 on the main cam shaft l2, depending upon the relative shifted positions of said roller. and said main cam shaft.

The roller 252 may be shifted by means of a forked lever 258' pivoted as at 250 to said. arm 248 and connected to the shifting rod 230 which, as' previously stated, is likewise in engagement with the shifting forked lever 226 controlling the roller 220- of the welt bar advancing and retracting mechanism. Proper riding engagement of the roller 252 is assured by means of a; spring 262. having one end suitably connected to the roller carrying arm 2'48 and the other end conveniently attached to a bracket 264 on the back beam 24 the. action of the spring 262, however, being limited by' means of. an adjustable stop 26% carried by a suitable arresting member 268 conveniently fixed to the back beam 24 and disposed to engage av portion of the underside of th arm 243.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that whenever the. roller 252'. contacts the neutral cam256, the. rails 1-54 are maintained in'their lowered position more clearly shown'in Figure 2, whereas whenever. said roller 252 contacts the active cam 254, a swinging motion is imparted to the arm 248, which motion is translated through the link 2 and lever 240 into a rocking motion of the shaft I92, accordingly lifting and lowering the rails I54. 7

III.WeZt bar side-stepping mechanism For the purpose of automatically spreading the sections of the shaft 192 relatively to each other for the displacement of the track rails [54 in order to adjust the welt hooks 96 with respect to the needles 34, there is attached to the lever I92 one end of a rod 216. The other end of this rod 219 may be conveniently associated with any. part of the knitting machine capable of transmitting motion to said rod for actuating the lever I92 and thus side-step the welt bars to locate the welt hooks relatively to the needles for effecting the hook-up and turning of the welt. For instance, said other end of, the rod 279 may be associated with the pattern chain 92, or it may be associated with the ordinary well known loose cours mechanism (not shown) so that the welt bars may be side-stepped for their hook-up operation in timed relation to the customary operation of such loose course mechanism for the formation of the initial course of the welt fabric.

IV.Tensz'onrelease mechanism t will beappreciated that in order to turn the welt, it is necessary that the tension applied to the welt fabric while being drawn 01f must be released and, therefore, the invention embraces the provision of a mechanism particularly devised to act on the wareroller shaft 20 for turning the same in a direction opposite to that of its drawing 01f rotation.

The preferred embodiment of this tension release mechanism includes a link 212 having at one of its end portions a longitudinal slot 214 adapted for engagement with a pin 2Y6 carried by the roller carrying arm 2 I8 of the welt bar advancing and retracting mechanism. The other end portion of the link 272 is pivotally connected to a segment 218 mounted for oscillation on a pivot 239 suitably supported on the machine frame. The segment 286 is provided with a spring pressed toothed rack 282 disposed for cooperative engagement with a pinion 284 affixed on the wareroller shaft 29.

From the foregoing description of the tension release mechanism, it will be understood that the movement of the lever 2| 8 in the direction of arrow R is imparted to the link 212 by means of the pin 216 which abuts the upper end of the slot 214. This movement imparted to the link 212 oscillates the segment 278 in the direction of arrow S and, therefore, causes the toothed rack 282 to engage the wareroller shaft pinion 284 for rotating the wareroller shaft 20 in the direction of arrow T. This rotation unwinds the draw-ofi straps on the warerollers to release the fabric to the desired extent, said releasing of the fabric being controlled through the adjustable flexibility of the parts to maintain the necessary fabric tension as long as required, and to efficiently release temporarily and then restore the fabric tension during the various welt bar movements for turning the welt and transferring the initial loops back onto the needles.

V.Cntrol mechanism In order to control the operation of the actuating mechanisms of the 'welt bar assemblies and their guiding rails, there is attached to the shifting rod 230 one end of a lever 286, the other end of which is extended for connection to a stub shaft 288 rotatably supported in a bearing 290 carried by the front beam 26 of the knitting machine frame l0.

Also affixed to the stub shaft 283 is a collar 292 provided with spaced ears 294 and 295 extending in a plane transverse to the axis of said stub shaft. Disposed between the ears 294 and 295 is an arm 295 which is pivoted to said ears by means of a pin 298 for swinging movement in a plane longitudinal to the axis of the stub shaft 288, that is, for movement in either one of two positions respectively illustrated in Figures 3 and 5. The arm 295 is normally urged for movement to the position shown in Figure 5 by means of a spring 309 connected to said arm and to a suitable portion of the machine. Movement of the arm 296 to the position shown in Figure 3 is imparted through a shifting rod 302 pivoted to a lever 394 acted upon by a button 303 on the pattern chain 92. Associated with the shifting rod 302 is a link arrangement 303 preferably consisting of an arm 3H] having one of its ends connected to said shifting rod 392 and having the other of its ends secured to one end of a rotatable rod 3 I 2 mounted for oscillation on brackets 3 I 4 on the bearing 290, The other end of said rod 302 carries a lever 3H5 bearing against an abutment 318 rigid with the arm 296. In this manner, it will be understood that when the shifting rod 302 is actuated through the pattern chain 92 to shift in the direction of arrow J, the rotatable rod 312 is oscillated in the direction of arrow K, thus moving the lever 318 bearing against the abutment 3|8 and, accordingly, forcing the arm 296 to move for placement in operative position, that is, in the position shown in Figure 3.

. One end portion 329 of the arm 295 is extended for substantial alignment with the cam shaft I2 and is provided with a roller 322 adapted, upon movement of said arm to operative position, to be engaged by the lateral face of a cam, such as c'am 324, on the main cam shaft l2 so that when said cam shaft shifts in the direction of arrow N, the cam 324 engaging the roller 222 forces the arm 296 in the direction of arrow P, thus rotating the stub shaft 288 in that same direction and, accordingly, displacing the lever 286 for moving the rod 230 in the direction of arrow Q. Thereupon, the roller shifting levers 226 and 258 associated, as hereinafter described, with the shifting rod 230, are actuated to shift their respective rollers 226 and 252 in the direction of arrow R for engagement with their corresponding active cams 222 and 254 as more clearly shown in Figure 2.

The shifting rod 23% and the various elements associated therewith and hereinafter described may be urged to their normal inactive position, that is, in the directions opposite'to those mentioned, by action of any suitable means such as a spring 326 arranged on said shifting rod 230 in the manner represented, for instance, in Figure 2.

VI .--Safety mechanism As hereinbefore mentioned, and as will be explained in detail hereinafter, the welt turning attachment is operated when the main cam shaft I2 is shifted to its narrowing position.

In order to eliminate any possibilty of a crash due to simultaneous operation of the welt turning attachment and narrowing mechanism of the. knitting. machine, there is provided a: socalled safety. mechanism which. functions: to. lock: thewelt turning attachment. and positively prevent. its function. during; narrowing; In. accord: ance with the preferred. embodiment shown in the: drawings, the. safety mechanism" includes; a; pin 328 on the arm 2% and a member 330. rigid: with the narrowing machine liftingi shaft" [8. The; member 330 is: disposed toengage the: pin; 228." as. shown in Figure 5 when said. shaft: I8 is. rotated: in the direction of arrows in. Figure:.3L that is, in. the direction to lower" the: narrowing machine and. free: the same for its. operation.

Since the abutment 3l 8 rigid. with. arm 296' contacts: the lever 3IG. connected. through. the: rotatable. rod. 312 and lever 3H1 to-the shifting rod: 302;. it will. be. appreciated that: accidental movement of said shifting'rodin the direction of arrow J to its active position, which sets the. welt turning attachment for operation, is. positively prevented aslong as the arm 2% is held in its inoperativeposition, that is, in the position shown in: Figure 5, by themember 330 in engagement with the pin 328 on said arm 296.

From the foregoing description of the safety mechanism, it will be. understood that the welt bar advancingand retracting mechanism; and the welt bar lifting and lowering mechanism are free to operate only when the narrowing mechanism is raised and incapable of operation, butthatsaid welt bar mechanisms are incapable of operation when the narrowing mechanism is lowered and free to operate.

OPERATION At the start of the machine, to begin the. knitting of. stockingv leg blanks on. the multiple sections, the machine isset with the main cam shaftv 12- in. knitting position, and the welt turning: attachment in its neutral position so that the roller 2.20 of. the welt bar advancing: and retracting mechanism. is riding on the neutral cam 224 thereof, and theroller 252 of. the welt. bar: lifting. and lowering mechanism is. riding" onthe. neutral cam; 256:, the roller 322 of. the; control mechanism being out of the path of the. cam 324 on said main cam shaft.

Themachine thusset is operated to form; the. initial course of each leg blankiin the usual manner, that is, the yarn carriers. 50 feed. the. yarns to the needles 42 which then cofunction. with the sinkers and dividers 46 to kink the yarnsv into loops. After the formation of the. initial. course. loops, the knitting is. temporarily interrupted to permit the engagement of the welt hooks 56 with the sinker loops. For: this purpose, the welt bar carrying assemblies are moved, preferably by hand, to displace the welt bar in its rectilinear horizontal forward movement to.- wards the needles 3 1, that is, in the general direction of arrow C, to bring the welt hooks 96 into operative hook-up position, that is; the position shown in Figure 20, wherein the hook ends of the welt hooks penetrate slightlybeyond the. vertical plane of the needles and in line with: the sinkers 38 at a point between said sinkers, and the knockover bits 40..

The. welt bars 34 are guided into their hookup position by means of the rails. I54. which, at this time, are held in a substantially horizontal. plane and in a position to locate the. welt. hooks in line with the spaces between the needles. The advance: of the welt bars into their hook-up position, of course, causes. the rotation. of: the:-

shaft [00 in. the direction of: arrow A. which, in:

turn; causes: the: lifting of. the roller' carrying arm; 2335' against: the action of the spring 232. Thus; after the hook-up ofv the welt. hookswith the;- initial course; loops. has. been accomplished (Figure: 2l)= the weight. of. said arm 208 and the action of: said! spring 232. are sufficient tov impart a pull to the welt bar, exerting a. retracting force.

on the same and providing the necessary tension for the initial draw-off, excessivess in tension, however, being prevented due to the yieldability afforded by the. connection spring I44.

While the hook-up is being effected, it may be found desirable to lock the welt bars tempoa-rily in the position shown. For that purpose, there may be provided on the shaft 1-00 a stop engageable with a manually or automatically operable latch 334 when said shaft has been rotated in the direction of arrow A in the movement of the welt bars towards the needles.

Following the hook-up, the knitting machine operates inthe usual manner to knit a series of courses of welt fabric which is drawn off by the welt bar through the elements above stated coacting in the manner specified. After the knitting of said series of courses (which may be relatively few in number), and as the machine continues toknit additional welt courses, ordinary welt rods are placed on the welt fabric for engagement with the take-up mechanism of the knitting machine. Therefore, during the knitting of the remainder of the weltfabric, the draw-off tension initially provided by the retracting force exerted on the welt bar through the pull imparted thereto by the weight of the arm 208 and action of the spring 232 is replaced by the tension created by the function of the take-up mechanism. At any time prior to the completing of the welt fabric (preferably after the hook-up of the initial course of loops) the welt bar shifting mechanism may be actuated to locate the welt hooks 36 in their aligned position with respect to the needles 34 and the pedal '86 may be depressed, thus rotating the shaft l8 which lifts and locks the narrowing mechine 64, frees the arm 296 of the control mechanism and brings the arm 235 in position for activating the spring 229.

By the time the knitting has progressed to a point where the required length of fabric to form the welt is reached; the pattern chain 92 of the machine operates to actuate the shifting rod 302 which operates the link arrangement 308 causing the arm 293 to swing in line with the cam 324. This actuation of the shifting rod 28 may be utilized to operate a switch control (not shown) having the usual well known construction to set the machine into low speed, which is desired to effect the turning of the welt.

The machine continues to operate at low speed to-knit the last courses of the welt fabric, whereupon thepattern chain 92' operates to actuate the main cam shaft shogging mechanism to move the cam shaft 22' to its narrowing position. Accordingly, the cam- 324 is brought into active engagement with the roller 322 causing the shifting of the roller 220 and 252- in the manner heretoforestated, for bringing said rollers into cooperative engagement with their respective active cams 222 and 254'. Thus during the subsequent rotation of the main cam shaft I2, the cams 222 and 254 cause the function of the tension release mechanism, the welt bar advancing mechanism, and the welt bar. lifting mechanism, in the manner hereinbefore specified, to turn and form the welt;

After the turning and formation of the welt, the pattern chain 92 of the machine again functions to shog the main cam shaft l2 to its knitting position and to move the shifting rod 302 back to its inactive position, thus setting the machine for the subsequent knitting of the leg portions of the blanks, which is carried out in the customary manner well known in the art.

Whenever in the knitting of the leg portions of the blanks, the main cam shaft I2 is shifted to its narrowing position, the various mechanisms of the welt turning attachment are held against operation because the shifting rods 302 and 230 remain in their inactive positions. Moreover, accidental movements of said shifting rods to their active positions are prevented because of the function of the safety mechanism, as hereinbefore described.

Manifestly, the construction shown and described herein as a possible embodiment of the invention is capable of various modifications. Therefore, any modifications coming within the scope of the subjoined claims are to be considered within the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In combination with a bank of knitting needies in a flat knitting machine, a welt turning at- I tachment comprising: a welt bar movable towards and in relation to the needles for turning and forming a welt; means for guiding the welt bar in its movement; means for adjusting said welt bar guiding means lengthwise with respect to the needles; means for adjusting said welt bar guiding means crosswise with respect to the needles; and means for adjusting said welt bar guiding means sidewise with respect to the needles.

2. In combination with a bank of knitting needles in a fiat knitting machine. a welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar movable towards and in relation to the needles for turning and forming a welt; a rail for guiding the welt bar in its movement; a block engaging said rail for free lengthwise, crosswise, and sidewise movements; means in said block for adjusting the Welt bar guiding rail lengthwise with respect to the needles; other means in the block for adjusting the welt bar guiding rail crosswise with respect to the needles; and still other means in the block for adjusting the welt bar guiding rail sidewise with respect to the needles.

3. In combination with a bank of knitting needles in a flat knitting machine, a welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar; means for supporting the Welt bar; movement imparting means; and means interconnecting the welt bar supporting means and the movement imparting means and including a rigid member for positively moving the welt bar in one direction, and a resilient member for yieldably moving the welt bar in the opposite direction.

4. In combination with a bank of knitting needles in a flat knitting machine, a welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar; means for supporting the welt bar; movement imparting means; means interconnecting the welt bar supporting means and the movement imparting means, and functioning to establish a rigid connection therebetween for movement of the welt bar in one direction, and a yieldable connection therebetween for movement of the welt bar in the opposite direction; means for guiding the welt bar in its movements; and means for adjusting said welt bar guiding means lengthwise, crosswise, and sidewise with respect to the needles.

5. In combination with a-bank of knitting needles in a flat knitting machine, a welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar; means for supporting the welt bar; movement imparting means; means interconnecting the welt bar supporting means and the movement imparting means and including a rigid member for positively moving the welt bar in one direction, and a resilient member for yieldably moving the welt bar in the opposite direction; a rail for guiding the welt bar in its movements; a block engaging said rail for free lengthwise, crosswise, and sidewise movements; means in said block for adjusting the welt bar guiding rail lengthwise with respect to the needles; other means in the block for adjusting the welt bar guiding rail crosswise with respect to the needles; and still other means in the block for adjusting the welt bar guiding rail sidewise with respect to the needles.

6. In a flat knitting machine having a needle bar, a welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar; a mechanism including an oscillating lever operable to impart welt drawing and turning movements to said welt bar; and a linking device connecting the welt bar to said mechanism, said device including a. rigid hollow member, a connection piece slidably mounted in one end of said hollow member and connected to the welt bar, a connection element slidably mounted in the other end of said hollow member and connected to said lever, and a coil spring enclosed in said hollow member and interconnecting said piece and element for relative yieldable sliding movement with respect to the rigid hollow member.

7. In a flat knitting machine having a needle bar, a welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar; a mechanism including an oscillating lever operable to impart welt drawing and turning movements to said welt bar; and a linking device connecting the welt bar to said mechanism, said device including a rigid hollow memher, a connection piece slidably mounted in one end of said hollow member and connected to the welt bar, a connection element slidably mounted in the other end of said hollow member and having means for establishing a detachable connection with said lever, and acoil spring enclosed in said hollow member and interconnecting said piece and element for relative yieldable sliding movement with respect to the rigid hollow member.

8. In a fiat knitting machine having a bank of spaced needles: a welt turning attachment comprising a welt bar having a bank of spaced welt hooks disposed to move in relation to the bank of needles for the formation of welt fabrics; and a. mechanism for guiding the welt bar and its hooks in their movements and including guide rails for the welt bar, a shaft slidably sup ported longitudinally of the machine and carrying the guide rails of the welt bar, and means associated with said shaft to slide the same for displacing said rails together with the associated welt bar to locate the welt hooks either in line with the needles or in line with the spaces between the latter.

9. In a flat knitting machine provided with a plurality of knitting sections, each section having a bank of spaced needles: a welt turning atm n comprising a welt bar for each of said knitting sections and having a bank of spaced welt hooks disposed to move in relation to the bank of needles in the associated section for the formation of welt fabrics; and a mechanism for guiding the welt bars and their hooks in their "movements and; including guide rails for the-welt "bars, a split shaft slidably supported longitudi- .nally of the machine, one section :of said-split shaft extending transversely of certain of the iknitting sections in the machine and carrying 'the guide rails for the welt bars in 'saidcertain sections, the other section 'of said split shaft 'extending transversely *of the remaining knitting sections in the machine :and carrying the a guide rails 'of the welt .bars I in said remaining knitting "sections, and means associated with said split shaft to slide its sections 'endwise towar'ds and away from each other:.'for displacing said rails together with the associated -weltbars to locate the welthookseither ini line with the needles 'or "in-linewiththe spaces between the latter.

1'0. In'a fiat knitting machine having a narrowing mechanism including :a rockable "shaft placeable in position 'to lock said mehanism against operation: a welt :turning attachment comprising a welt 'bar; and an operating mechanism there'forinchidina cam meanssa' leven and link-arrangement acted upon" by said cam means :and connected to the welt"bar for imparting =welt "drawing :and turning movements thereto, and means operable to' impose an increase'ddoad upon said lever and link "arrangement, said means be- 'ing controlled'ithrough said shaft when placed in position to lock the inarrowing mechanism against operation.

t11.':In a fiat knitting machine having a -nar- :rowingmechanism and a rockable shaft movable -for placing said mechanism in operative andin inoperative positions: a welt turning attachment;

.:-and means operated through the movement of rsaidsshaitto lock' sai'd attachment against op era- ;tion when "the shaft is moved to its position for placing: the narrowingimechanism inits operative position, and to free isaid :attachm'ent' for operation when the shaft is moved to its =position for placing :the 1 narrowing mechanism :in *its inoper- :ative position.

l2. .In a flat1knitting machine; in combination :a :main cam shaft, a "set .of hooks :adapted '-to engage the initial length of yarn laid to the needlesgmeans operated 'by said main cam -shaft :to apply :pressure to "said hooks to'move them :rearwardly :towar'ds the needle'row into position to engage said initial .alength of yarn, imeans to latch "said :hooks in said'rearward position, "and means to urge said hooks forwardly away from ithe needle :rmvtand adapted :to fact immediately :upon release of said latch.

13. In aiflat knittingmachineyin combination 'zanna-in :cam ;shaft,:a:bar having horizontal hooks thereon; means for exertingpressure :on :said ;bar sufiicient :when unopposed xto drawisaid :bar 'forwardly away from ,theineedle rownmeans operated-bysaid-main camshaft wherebytsaid pressure :may be overcome to moVesaidzhooksinto v:position to engage the initial length --of yarn "laid -.to the needles, :means .to latch :said-secondrmeans, said pressure-exerting means being adapted to apply said-forward pressure to said bar-immediately upon "release of said latch ;means.

14. In a fiat knitting machine, .incombination amaincam shaft,meansoperatedby said main cam shaft-to ,move weltibarshavingfhooks toward thesneedle row into position to :causetsaid ,hooks toengage the yarn of the first-course of 'a :given Vfabric, draw: ofi means connected to 1 said :bars to .:place tension ontheia-bric andincludinga shaft :and means .ior appl n :a turnin movement thereto, and a latch ada ted when .:so desired to -hol'd said shaftagainstsaidturning movement to "relieve the fabric from tension.

ISQIn a flat knitting machine, in combination 'a main cam'shaftja'welt bar, a'mechanism in- 'cludingtravellers arranged to move toward and away irom the'needle row and'to-move said Welt *arranged to sustain the pull of said tensioning ineans'vvhen said-'travellers'arein their extreme forward position.

1'6. 'Ina 'flat'knitting machine, in "combination 'a-main cam shait, 'means for knitting a welt including a needle row, a welt bar, rails onwhich 'said 'bar is 'moun'tedto f-slide "toward and away from saidrow-means to'positively move said bar towar'dsaidmow for hoo'king up including 'a rotatable' leveroperated by 'said main cam shaft, a

*rotatable sha'ft, means for transmitting a drawoff tension' to said shaft, and a connection between said shaft and said lever arranged to turn the shaft'oppositly from the way it-turns when "applying draw-off tension whenever the bar is moved toward the needle row.

'1'7.'-In a flatknitting machine provided 'with'a plurality of knitting sections each having spaced needles, the combination With'a shiftable main "cam sha'itga set 'ofknittingcams, and a set of :narrowing cams 0n"'the main cam shaft, a pattern chain :mechani'sm, and-means controlled by the pattern chain mechanism for shifting the main cam "shaftto 'selectively'bring the set of knitting cams and the set of narrowing cams into playto -actuate'the needlesthrough one motion fortknitting and'through anothermotion for narrowing: ofa'we'lt turning attachment comprising iweltbars;oneiforieach knitting'section,'and'having spaced'welt hooks disposed'to move-in rela- .tion: to ltheneedles in the associated sections ior 'the formation ofWelt'fabrics; a mechanism oper- :a'bletto;m'ove the'weltbars toward the needles to :tu1'n1the weltffabrics and comprising 'a'rockable shaft, linking devieesconnectingthe welt bars to saidirockableishaft, said devices including rigid :hollow rmembers, connection ipieces islidably --moun'teol in :one of theiendsiof'said ih'ollow members and conneotedztoithe'welt bars, connection elements .slida'bly .mounted in "the other ends of said ,i'h'OllOW members and having :means ior :es-

5fi -ta'blishing :detacha'ble connections with said le- TVEIS, :and coil :springs enclosed in said hollow :members 'iand interconnecting -said pieces .and

:ing mechanism and comprising cam means on the main cam shaft, an *arm pivotally supported adjacent said cam'means, a link and leversystem interconnectingsaidarm and the 'rockable shaft -of itheiwelt'bar moving mechanism, and a'shiftable roller carried :by said arm and movable into engagementwithsaid cam :means; a mechanism operabletforguichngpthe'welt bars andtheir hooks --iI1f13hlTlTI10V6InIltS and comprising guide rails :for the welt bars, a sectional shaft having its -:sections;rot-atably and slidably supported longitudinally "of the .machine, :one section of said :sh'aft extending transversely of certain :of the knitting sections in the :machine and carrying the guide :rails rior :the welt bars .in said certain knitting sections, "the other section of said sectional shaft extending transversely of the remaining knitting sections in the machine and carrying the guide rails for the welt bars in said remaining knitting sections; a mechanism operable to slide said sections of the sectional shaft of the welt guiding mechanism and comprising means associated with said sectional shaft to slide each section endwise in opposite directions for moving said rails together with the welt bars thereon to displace the welt hooks from a position in lin with the spaces between the needles to a position in line with the needles; a mechanism operable to rock the sections of the sectional shaft of the welt bar guiding mechanism for lifting the guide rails and thus elevating the welt bars and their hooks in relation to the needles in the turning of the welt fabric, and comprising cam means on the main cam shaft for each of the sections of said sectional shaft, arms pivotally supported adjacent said cam means, link and lever systems interconnecting said arms and the corresponding sections of said sectional shaft, and shiftable rollers carried by said arms and movable into engagement with the adjacent cam means; and a mechanism operable for shifting the shiftable roller of the mechanism operable to actuate the welt bar moving means and the shiftable rollers of the welt bar lifting mechanism, and comprising shifting levers, one for each shiftable roller, a pivotal member operatively connected with said shifting levers and controlled by the pattern chain mechanism to be moved in combined right angular and longitudinal directions with respect to the main cam shaft first for placement in the path of, and then for movement with, the shifting movement of the cam shaft through the pattern control means aforesaid, whereby to transmit shifting motion to the shifting levers for shifting said shiftable rollers in synchronism with the shifting of the main cam shaft to bring the set of narrowing cams into play for actuating the needles through the narrowing motion, whereby to operate said arms and said link and lever systems for rocking the shaft of the welt bar moving mechanism to move the welt bars upwardly toward the needles in timed relation with the narrowing motion thereof.

18. In a flat knitting machine provided with a plurality of knitting sections each having spaced needles, the combination with a shiftable main cam shaft. a set of knitting cams, and a set of narrowing cams on the main cam shaft. a pattern chain mechanism. and means controlled by the pattern chain mechanism for shifting the main cam shaft to selectively/bring the set of knitting cams and the set of narrowing cams into play to actuate the needles through one motion for knitting and through another motion for narrowing: of a welt turning attachment comprising welt bars, one for each knitting section, and having spaced welt hooks disposed to move in relation to the needles in the associated sections for the formation of welt fabrics; a mechanism operable to move the welt bars toward the needles to turn the welt fabrics and comprising a rockable shaft.

linking devices connecting the welt bars tosaid rockable shaft, said devices including rigid hollow members, connection pieces slidably mounted in one of the ends of said hollow members and connected to the welt bars, connection elements slidably mounted in the other ends of said hollow members and having means for establishing detachable connections with said levers, and coil springs enclosed in said hollow members and interconnecting said pieces and elements for relative yielclable sliding movements with respect to the rigid hollow members; a mechanism operable to actuate the welt bar moving mechanism and comprising cam means on the main cam shaft, an arm pivotally supported adjacent said cam means, a link and lever system intercom necting said arm and the rockable shaft of the welt bar moving mechanism, and a shiftable roller carried by said arm and movable into engagement with said cam means; a mechanism operable for guiding the welt bars and their hooks in their movements and comprising guide rails for the welt bars, a sectional shaft having its sections rotatably and slidably supported longitudinally of the machine, one section of said shaft extending transversely of certain of the knitting sections in the machine and carrying the guide rails for the welt bars in said certain knitting sections; the other section of said sectional shaft extending transversely of the remaining knitting sections in the machine and carrying the guide rails for the welt bars in said remaining knitting sections; a mechainsm operable to slide said sections of the sectional shaft of the welt guiding mechanism and comprising means associated with said sectional shaft to slide each section endwise in opposite directions for moving said rails together with the welt bars thereon to displace the welt hooks from a position in line with the spaces between the needles. to a position in line with the needles; a, mechanism operable to rock the sections of the sectional shaft of the welt bar guiding mechanism for lifting the gu de rails and thus elevating the welt bars and their hooks in relation to the needles in the turning of the welt fabric, and comprising cam means on the main cam shaft for each of the sections of said sectional shaft, arms pivotally supported adjacent said cam means, link and lever systems interconnecting said arms and the corresponding sections of said sectional shaft, and shiftable rollers carried by said arms and movable into engagement with the adj cent cam means; a mechanism operable for shifting the shiftable roller of the mechanism operable to actuate the welt bar moving means and the shiftable rollers of the welt bar lifting mechanism, and comprising shifting levers, one for each shiftable roller, a pivotal member operatively connected with said shifting levers and controlled by the pattern chain mechanism to be moved in combined right angular and longitudtnal directions with respect to the main cam shaft first for placement in the path of, and then for movement with, the shifting movement of the cam shaft through the pattern control means aforesaid, whereby to transmit shifting motion to the shifting levers for shift ng said shiftable rollers in synchronism with the shifting of the main cam shaft to bring the set of narrowing cams into play for actuating the needles through the narrowing motion, whereby to operate said arms and said link and lever systems for rocking the shaft of the welt bar moving mechanism to move the Welt bars upwardly toward the needles in timed relation with the narrowing motion thereof; and a fabric take-up mechanism operable in coniunction with the welt bars to take up the welt fabrics, and comprising a wareroller shaft functioning to tension said fabrics, a gear fixed to said ware roller shaft, a toothed segment engageable with said gear, and a link connecting said segment to the pivotally supported arm of the mechanism operable to actuate the welt bar moving mecha nism whereby said segment is caused to engage said gear to relieve the wareroller 'shaft of its fabric tensioning function simultaneously with the actuation :of the twelt bar moving and. guiding mechanisms when actuated to'move the welt bars upwardly toward the needles for turning the Welt fabrics.

19. 'In a flatknitting machine provided with 'a bank of needles, the combination with a shiftable main cam shaft of a welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar disposed to move in relation to the bank of needles for the formation of the'welt; a mechanism operable to move the welt bar toward the needles to turn thewelt 'a mechanism operable to actuate the welt bar moving mechanism and comprising cam means on the main cam shaft, an arm pivo'taliy supported adjacent said cam means, a link and'lever system interconnecting said arm and welt bar moving mechanism, and a shiftable roller carried by said arm and movable into engagement with said cam:

means; and a mechanism operable for shifting the shiftable roller and comprising a shifting leverengag'ing said roller, a pivotal member operatively connected to said shifting roller and mounted to be moved in combined right angular and longitutdinal directions with respect to the main cam shaft first for the placement of, and then for movement with, the shifting movement of the main cam shaft to transmit shifting motions to the shifting lever for shifting said shiftable roller.

'20. In afiat knitting machine provided with 'a bank of needles, the combination with a'shiftable main cam shaft of a "welt turning attachment comprising: a welt bar disposed to move in rela- 'tion to the bank ofneedlesfor the formation of the welt; a mechanism'operable to move the welt bar toward the needles to turn the welt; a mechanism operable to actuate the welt bar moving mechanism and comprising cam means on the main cam shaft, an arm pivotally supported ad- .iacentsaid cam means, a link and lever system interconnecting said arm and welt bar moving mechanism, and a shiftable roller carried by said arm and movable into engagement with said cam means; a mechanism operable for shifting the shiftable roller and comprising a shifting lever engaging said roller, a pivotal member operatively connected to" said shifting roller and mountedto be moved in combined right angular and longitudinal directions with respect to the main cam shaft first for the placement of, and .then for movement with, the

shifting movement of the main cam shaft to transmit shifting motions to the shifting lever forshifting said shiftable roller; and a fabric take-up mechanism operable in conjunction with the welt bar to take up the welt and comprising a wareroller shaft functioning to tension the welt, .a gear fixed to .said wareroller shaft, 2. toothed segment engageable withsaid gear, and a link connecting said segment to the pivotally supported arm of the mechanism operable to actuate the welt bar moving mechanism whereby said segment is caused to engage said gear to relieve .the wareroller shaft of its tensioning function simultaneously with the actuation of the welt bar moving mechanism when actuated to move'the Welt bar toward the needles for turning the welt.

21. A welt bar set-up mechanism for a fiat knitting machine comprising: 'a movable support for the welt bar; a pair of slidably connected rigid members forrigidly and positively moving the "support in one direction; and a-spring resiliently connecting said members together whereby :said .members may yieldably :move the support in the opposite direction.

22. A- welt bar set-up mechanism comprising, in combination with a'welt bar: rails supporting the welt bar in its set-up movements; a pair of rigid connectors attached to .the end portions of the welt bar; a jpair of rigid tubular sections having limited adjustable sliding connections with 'said connectors; coil springs housed within said sections and 'yieldably connecting said connectors to said sections whereby the sections and connectors may yieldably move relative to each other; a rotatable shaft; and arms connecting said shaft to said tubular sections whereby rotation of the shaftiinopposite-directionsmoves the welt bar .in opposite directions on said rails.

23A welt bar set-sup imechanism for a flat knitting machine having acam shaft comprising, in combination with a belt bar: a support for guiding the welt bar in itsset-upmovements;

and a pair of devices for movement of the welt bar along saidsupp'ort and each consisting of a tubularsection, a-connector slidably supported by said section and connected to the welt bar, a coil spring within said section and having one end attached to the section and its other end attached to said connector, a shaft, an arm connected to said shaft'and detachabl-y connected to said tubular section, a lever connected to said shaft, a pivotally mountedsecond lever, a spring operatively engaging said second lever, a link operatively connecting said levers together, a roller adjustably connected to said second lever, a neutral cam-and an active'cam mounted on the main cam shaft of theimachine and cooperatively associated with said roller, and pattern mechanism for selectively shifting said roller into operative engagement with said neutral and active cams.

.24. Welt turning apparatus for a full fashion knitting machine comprising a welt bar carrying a plurality of welt points, mechanicalmeans operated by the knitting machine to urge'the welt bar toward or away from the needles, guide arms for supporting the welt bar in its movement towardor away from the needles-a pivotal mounting forsaid guide arms permitting their up or down movement-and also permitting their lateral movement, other mechanical means operated by the knitting machine to turn'the guide arms about said pivotal mounting and determine the up or down position of said guide arms, means'fixing the position of said welt bar endwise between said guide arms, and another mechanical means operated by the knitting machine to impart a lateral movement to the guide arms and thereby move the welt bar endwise a half needle space to'permit free passage of the points between the needles.

25. In combination with a bank of knitting needles ina flat knitting machine, a welt forming attachment comprising: 'a Welt bar; means for supporting the welt bar; movement imparting means, and means interconnecting the welt bar supporting means and the movement imparting means and including a rigid member for positively moving the welt bar in one direction, and a resilient member for yieldably moving the Welt bar in the opposite direction.

26. In a fiat knitting machine having a needle bar, a welt forming attachment comprising: a welt bar; a mechanism including an oscillating lever operable toimpartrmovements to said welt bar; and :a :linking' device connecting the welt bar tosaid mechanism, .said device including a rigid hollow member, a connection rpiece slid- 

